Lift and Go gets a handle on your Macbook

Having paid for a brand-new Macbook Pro with Retina Display, the thought of dropping and damaging it may well be enough to make you cry. There are many ways to protect a precious Apple laptop, from neoprene sleeves to military-grade boxes, but the team at Zenlet is hoping that its new all-in-one Lift and Go solution will prove a real crowd-pleaser.

The Lift and Go isn't the sort of thing you can just slot into your bag like a regular laptop sleeve. Instead, it packs the mobile computer into a slim aluminum case with a built-in handle, like a hard briefcase or compact laptop bag. And there are sliding port covers on the side to make sure dust doesn't make its way into the USB, HDMI, Thunderbolt and Magsafe connectors on each side of the computer.

The company says the case is strong enough to protect a Macbook Pro with Retina Display from day-to-day knocks, yet adds just 2 mm (0.08 in) to its thickness. It will, however, add 500 g (18 oz) to the overall weight of your laptop.

When it's not being used to cart the Macbook around, the case doesn't need to be discarded under a desk or hidden in a bag. Instead, it unfolds with the laptop and acts as an ergonomic stand, propping the keyboard up at an angle to make it more natural and comfortable to type with.

As well as improving the keyboard angle for touch-typists, Zenlet says raising the laptop off the desk (or bed, coffee table, lap) it's being used on will help with cooling, while raising the screen up to help bring it closer to a user's eye level.

At the moment, Zenlet is seeking funding for the Lift and Go on Kickstarter, where it's raised more than US$12,500 of its $50,000 goal with 46 days remaining. Pledges start at $119 for a single 13-inch case, or $129 for a 15-inch unit. Retail prices are expected to start at $199 for the 13-inch case, and $209 for the 15-inch.

If all goes to plan, deliveries are estimated to start in April 2017. You can see the pitch video below.